Anti-Vaxers and Grief Predators

I've long wondered how, in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, anti-vaccination nonsense continues to hang on with such tenacity.

Then I read this account of a woman's experience attending an anti-vaccination convention, and I figured it out:

Like many wrong ideas that live long past their expiration date, someone's making a buck promulgating the disproved idea that vaccinations are harmful.

And anti-vaccination conventions are example number one. (Books written and speaker fees received by prominent anti-vaxers are example two.) Anti-vax conventions and people associated with them benefit financially when parents are misinformed. And who better to target than people who're hurting and looking for answers, such as the parents of autistic children? Just like psychics and mediums who take money from grieving wives, husbands, and parents of recently lost loved-ones, those pushing the idea that vaccination equals autism are grief predators. They're cashing in on parents who buy their books, buy their alt-meds, and attend their conventions and talks.

One Skeptic's Experience at an anti-vax convention: http://bit.ly/lBDW26

Oprah Backs Obama

Oprah Winfrey has long backed Mr. Obama, and she recently appeared with Obama at a rally promoting him for president.

I've previously indicated my initial fervor over Obama has faded somewhat. Since then, it strikes me as strange that Obama has become so careful in his language that he never ends up saying much of anything (other than his desire to cut NASA funding). I think what's really moved me out of his camp, however, is my realization that if Ms. Clinton gets the nod, she'll have years more contacts and experience than Obama can hope to bring to the table. I mean, her First Man will be a former sitting president whose time in office was the last generally positive period of our nation's history.

Anyhow, I don't fault Winfrey for backing Obama. Oprah certainly backs a whole slew of other worthy and laudable causes, so many it makes my head spin. However, sometimes she trots out psychics, ghost hunters, and mediums as if these shysters were legitimate instead of grief-predators the evidence indicates. Not that I liken Obama in any way to a medium! Nope, far from it, if he gets the nod, I'll support him. All I'm saying is, like any human being, Oprah is not above making less-than-ideal choices.

P.S. Of course, if Clinton is elected and she turns out to be a corporate-controlled drone, or Obama gets elected and becomes a man led by reason and compassion, then I'll eat these words. Or, you know, admit I was wrong.

P.P.S. Grief predator. I've just coined the term! Do you like it? Oh, nope. I'm wrong. A search reveals at least one other person has used the term, describing 'psychic detectives.' Ah well.